Living Without A/C This Summer

[APL]

I am trying it, so far so good.

What has worked best is leaving the windows open at night, and closing up the windows and drapes/blinds during the day.

My grandparents never had A/C growing up, it simply didn't exist in residential homes. To this day, they only turn it on when it gets REALLY hot.

My sisters and I always are miserable when we go there, so if I can stick it out at home then I'll be used to it being warmer and be comfortable when I'm there.

Anyone else going without A/C this summer? Tips you can share?

http://www.wikihow.com/Cool-Yourself-Without-Air-Conditioning

[Freddy03]

Well since I'm in FL - I would not be living without AC ever...LOL

I'd rather not eat...LOL

Good Luck to you!

[IamOld]

I agree with Freddie - MANY - not all - HOUSES were constructed so that there would be windows on all sides - I'm also presuming shade from trees.

Today, because I'm not in a detached house, we only have windows at either end of the structure - UNLESS it is significantly colder outside, there is no air circulation. The whether where I live has been hot and is ALWAYS very humid. These structures are not meant for human habitation w/out cooling. Neither is the area where I live...w/out A/C it's unlivable.

[Peeps]

I grew up w/o AC and rarely bother with it now, either. It's plenty hot here. Leaving the windows open at night helps a lot. Closing them, or at least closing the shades during the day also helps. On the unbearable days, I pull out a portable air conditioner and run it as needed. I avoid heating up the kitchen on hot days... the barbeque in the backyard works just fine for those meals. Drinking iced beverages helps a lot, too. I bought light-blocking blinds for rooms that get bombarded with morning or evening sunlight. Generally, it's rare for me to have a summer utility bill over $75/mo.

The only problems I've experienced come from those open windows. There are times when my allergies just go nuts (those dratted cottonwood trees) and sometimes smoke from mountain fires blows into the area and makes it unpleasant to have the windows open. Plus the place tends to get more dirty with that very fine dust that blows in on the wind.

[IamOld]

All I can say is that w/out AC there would be NO ONE living here.

I grew up w/o AC and rarely bother with it now, either. It's plenty hot here. Leaving the windows open at night helps a lot. Closing them, or at least closing the shades during the day also helps. On the unbearable days, I pull out a portable air conditioner and run it as needed. I avoid heating up the kitchen on hot days... the barbeque in the backyard works just fine for those meals. Drinking iced beverages helps a lot, too. I bought light-blocking blinds for rooms that get bombarded with morning or evening sunlight. Generally, it's rare for me to have a summer utility bill over $75/mo.

The only problems I've experienced come from those open windows. There are times when my allergies just go nuts (those dratted cottonwood trees) and sometimes smoke from mountain fires blows into the area and makes it unpleasant to have the windows open. Plus the place tends to get more dirty with that very fine dust that blows in on the wind.

[Freddy03]

We can't keep windows open where I am - it's not safe.

[IamOld]

If I may add - about three years ago the A/C that came with the house...went...(dear God that was expensive) -at any rate, this is before it was "officially" summer, it was in the high 80's in the house at best...top floor...hotter...WITH fans.

[StrawberrySu]

APL, I have a few suggestions for you. We bought a seventies house that has boiler heat through radiators, so no way to add a/c cheap (no ducting in the house). Can't put in window a/cs since it has crank out windows, ditto the type of a/c that Peeps mentioned. As you see, I am in Ohio, and growing up I don't remember having but one or two nights a summer where it was too hot to sleep. We have survived because this house has a whole house fan, which my hubby hooked up a remote button on my tv remote to turn off and on (the switch is upstairs). I even take the remote upstairs by my bed so if I get hot at night, I just push a button. It really only helps when the air is cool out, like mornings and evenings. Now if only I had a button I could push to shut up the crickets, the frogs, the birds at 5 am, the trash truck, etc., lol. The fan is right outside our bedroom, but it runs steady, and that doesn't bother me like intermittent noise does.

My best suggestion is to put in an in-ground pool, lol. Once you have been in the pool for awhile, 86 degrees seems nice. I don't think I could survive the house without the pool. So, okay, you probably don't want to go to the trouble of putting in a pool. If you even go out and get wet, like from the hose, it will make things more bearable. Put a cold cloth on your forehead, or your feet, that helps you cool down. I cannot sleep when I am hot and sticky, so I always take a quick shower before bed, that makes it SOOOO much better to sleep. I feel like I can handle the heat during the day, just can't sleep if I am too hot.

But as I said, I live in Ohio. You live in Georgia......I just couldn't do that. I have lived in the south before, and am moving to NC very shortly. House has gotta have a/c. My hat is off to you, sir or madam!

[frogger]

Just get you all of that no a/c action that you want. I don't mind not having ac during the day, but I intend to have it at night after I've called it a day and want to go to sleep.

Many things would get sacrificed before night-time a/c.

[APL]

Thanks Peeps and StrawberrySu for the tips. The light-blocking blinds are a really good idea, and SS the fan sounds nice. Not affordable right now, but I actually prefer to sleep with a fan on just for the noise.

I know no A/C is not something a lot of people can or want to do, depending on their climate, neighborhood, or type of housing they have.

I'm trying it, but I could end up being all talk - it's only June. I have every intention of trying, but come August and September, I may have given in. Especially, as others have pointed out, on very hot nights.

[Freddy03]

We have our windows tinted here. I did notice a difference in the electric bill.

[Pandora]

Just get you all of that no a/c action that you want. I don't mind not having ac during the day, but I intend to have it at night after I've called it a day and want to go to sleep.

Many things would get sacrificed before night-time a/c.

AMEN AMEN AMMMMMMMMMMEN! LOL Two things I will not go without: AC and heat. I'll starve to death before I am too hot or too cold...

Hey frogger..... ya wanna come tell your little buddies to keep it quiet at night in my pool? Dont mind having a pool party...but only with those I invite Damn frogs are noisy as hell!

[AngelinaCat]

This is slightly off-topic, but may help some folks....

When Florida was hit with four hurricanes in a row in 2004, we were in an area where that was without power for three weeks. We fortunately had purchased a generator, beforehand. But you can't run a generator for that period of time.

The air was stagnant, humid, hot, and the mosquitos voracious. We had to have the bedroom window open to get some air, but there was no circulation at all. So 'Hub went to the automotive store, and bought a large automobile battery, and a large radiator fan. He put the fan in the window and rigged the wiring so that the battery would power it. We turned this contraption on when we went to bed, and it would last through the night. Then the next morning, we turned the generator on to take care of the refrigerator, freezer, and recharge the battery.

We did this the three weeks we were without power, and were fairly comfortable.

[StrawberrySu]

This is slightly off-topic, but may help some folks....

When Florida was hit with four hurricanes in a row in 2004, we were in an area where that was without power for three weeks. We fortunately had purchased a generator, beforehand. But you can't run a generator for that period of time.

The air was stagnant, humid, hot, and the mosquitos voracious. We had to have the bedroom window open to get some air, but there was no circulation at all. So 'Hub went to the automotive store, and bought a large battery, and a large radiator fan. He put the fan in the window and rigged the wiring so that the battery would power it. We turned this contraption on when we went to bed, and it would last through the night. Then the next morning, we turned the generator on to take care of the refrigerator, freezer, and recharge the battery.

We did this the three weeks we were without power, and were fairly comfortable.

That's a great idea AC! I will have to show my hubby that ... anyplace can lose power. When we used our generator, the cost of gas made me ask "Why are we doing this? We could take our food somewhere and go to a hotel for what this generator costs to run!" LOL

Freddy, we just put some film on our family room that we got at Lowes ... we have almost a whole wall of windows, and this was the hottest room in the house. It feels so much better now. Course, the smart move would have been to set up my tv and computer in the living room which is in deep shade all day ... but, no, I wanted to be able to look out at the pool. Idiot....

Pandora, we get frogs in our pool too...we live right beside a woods. Get the occassional groundhog coming for a drink ... when the pool was empty so we could paint it last year we got two baby bunnies. My granddaughter named then "Chuck" and "Norris" so they could survive back in the woods. I can't take the birds chirping at 5 am, tho. Mourning Doves would be fine, but not these chipper "wake up! wake up!' guys I have.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Good thread. Especially for Freddie: I too like to cover under cold air to sleep. There is nothing worse than a night of stewing in your own juices. However, as more/less a Florida lifer, here is how it used to be, and very scientific. The reasons for high ceilings was for cooling. Few houses had any insulation at all. The houses where built square with four fireplaces in the middle. Not all fire places burned at once. The kitchen was offset of the main building for heat as well as fire hazards. The "cupola" as seen on many old buildings, schools, and government was for a draft as a chimney. Worked like a venturi (think power house coolers) and drew the hot air up, and cool air from the windows.

My high school did not have air. In Clearwater FL, the design was a high south wall, low north. Windows way up on the south side, and windows down on the north. Everything was painted light colors and we had a big oscillating fan. It worked for us, I still failed algebra.

At this point as soft as we have become, it could become a health hazard in many cases. I would put into the yard a very inexpensive cattle water trough. It is galvanized steel and fill it with water (and a little bleach) and when hot, go out and dunk yourself. Call it a poor man's hot tub. 'Hub